[Assam] Murderous Indian troops can no longer hide their Assamese blood soaked hands. International War CrimeTtribunal WILL not let the criminals off the hook on the grounds of their action under the Indian Parliamentary Acts.

[Bartta Bistar]

Army admits torturing ULFA suspect
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/army-admits-torturing-ulfa-suspect/23960-3.html
IANS
Posted Saturday , October 14, 2006 at 11:10

Guwahati: The Indian Army engaged in anti-insurgency operations in Assam is
once again mired in a row over torture in custody of an United Liberation
Front of Asom (ULFA) suspect, forcing authorities to apologise and order a
court of inquiry.
Hundreds of people blocked a highway for hours near Khowang in Dibrugarh
district on Friday, protesting the alleged third-degree torture meted out to
a farmer, Nipul Saikia, after he was picked up by soldiers from his house
five days ago.
"I think Saikia was not treated properly and so we have ordered a court of
inquiry. I would like to assure you that the guilty would be punished,"
Major General NC Marwah, general-officer-commanding (GOC) of the 2nd
Mountain Division said.
Saikia was picked up from his home on Monday on suspicion of being a linkman
of the outlawed ULFA and was kept in their custody until Thursday before he
was admitted to the Dibrugarh Medical College with serious injuries.
"Saikia was brought to hospital with rectal bleeding and his condition was
serious. The injuries were suffered probably due to electric shocks," a
doctor attending on him said, requesting not to be named.
The GOC visited Saikia at the hospital and tendered his personal apologies
to him for the incident.
There were similar protests in the eastern Tinsukia district where hundreds
of people took to the streets and blocked highways to protest the detention
of about 20 villagers, including women and children.
The villagers were picked up by the Army earlier in the week after an
explosion triggered by the ULFA injured a soldier in the area. The Army
authorities on Friday released 10 women and children after the protests.
The Army is engaged in a massive military operation in eastern Assam against
the ULFA after New Delhi last month called off a six-week ceasefire blaming
the outfit of stepping up attacks.
In July, the Army punished Major Nishant Sharma and Rifleman Sudip Gurung
after finding the duo guilty of killing a villager in custody.
The military court ruling came after the Assam government lodged a protest
with the Army saying the villager, Ajit Mahanta, was shot dead after being
picked up by the Army on suspicion of having links with the ULFA.
His body was found in a bag in a hospital in neighbouring Dibrugarh town in
eastern Assam the next day after he was picked up. The Army then claimed
Mahanta was shot dead when he tried to escape.
The Assam government's decision to seek a probe into Mahanta's death
followed widespread public protests in eastern Assam that prompted police to
open fire killing nine protestors.
"These kinds of torture and excesses by the army in the name of countering
militancy would further alienate the masses," an analyst said.
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